Equality Analysis Report

Title of activity / Budget Proposal title and number Committee meeting (decision maker) and date Community Governance Review of Cardington and Eastcotts Final recommendations determined by the Borough Council’s Parishes General Purposes Committee on 27 June 2017, published and submitted to the Council meeting on 12 July 2017. Service area Lead officer Governance and HR Keith Simmons – Head of Democratic and Registration Services

Approved by Date of approval Barbara Morris Assistant Chief Executive (Governance & Human Resources)

Description of activity: Borough Council is the principal Council for the and is designated in law as the body to review community governance arrangements in its area. Community governance reviews provide the opportunity for principal councils to review and make changes to community governance within their area. Such reviews are often, although not exclusively, in circumstances such as where there have been changes in population, or in reaction to specific or local new issues. A community governance review offers an opportunity to put in place strong, clearly defined boundaries, tied to firm ground features, and remove any anomalous parish boundaries that exist.

Cardington and Eastcotts Parishes have requested this review of community governance arrangements. The Parish Councils are recommending the transfer of an area of land from Cardington Parish to Eastcotts Parish, and the Borough Council is recommending a change in the number of Councillors representing the separate Parish Wards off Eastcotts Paris. The outcome of the recommendations (if approved) would see the transfer of land (as referred to previously) implemented and the number of Councillors for Eastcotts Parish amended to 13 representing Parish Ward and two representing Ward to reflect greater electoral equality and representation for residents in those areas (currently there are 10 councillors representing Shortstown Parish Ward and five representing Cotton End Parish Ward).

Please refer to the Equality Analysis Template Notes for guidance on completing this form.

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Relevance Test

1. The outcomes of the activity directly and significantly impact on people, e.g. service users, Yes No employees, voluntary and community sector groups. 2. The activity could / does affect one or more protected equality groups. Yes No 3. The activity could / does affect protected equality groups differently. Yes No 4. One or more protected equality groups could be disadvantaged, adversely affected or are at Yes No risk of discrimination as a result of the activity. 5. The activity relates to an area where there are known inequalities. Yes No 6. The activity sets out proposals for significant changes to services, policies etc. and / or Yes No significantly affects how services are delivered. 7. The activity relates to one or more of the three aims of the Council’s equality duty. Yes No 8. The activity relates to the Council’s Corporate Plan objectives, is a significant activity and / or Yes No presents a high risk to the Council’s public reputation. 9. An equality analysis of this activity is required. Yes No This activity has no relevance to Bedford Borough Council’s duty to eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment and

victimisation; to advance equality of opportunity; and to foster good relations. An equality analysis is not needed. Explanation why equality analysis is not needed

Scope of equality analysis

Who is / will be impacted by the Residents of the Parish are those directly affected by the impact of the potential changes to activity’s aims and outcomes? Governance arrangements. The proposal to transfer an area of land from one Parish Council to another will result in those who have a closer affiliation with that area having a greater say over its determination. Changes to the proportion of Councillors for the Parish Wards will provide greater electoral equality and representation for residents in those areas. Which particular protected All protected groups that are resident in the Parish will be positively affected, as the transfer of the equality groups are likely / will area will create a closer connection of that area to the appropriate community. Through the increase

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be affected? in number of councillors in the particular parish ward there provides the opportunity for the Parish Council to become more representative of the community.

Evidence, data, information and consultation

What evidence have you used to Current Electoral Registration data. The most recent parish profile does not provide separate data analyse the effects on equality? for the Parish Wards of Shortstown and Cotton End.

What consultation did you carry The consultation process for the Community Governance Review involved communicating to all out with protected equality households within the parish, therefore all of those protected groups would have been reached with groups to identify your activity’s their views sought and responses added to the analysis. A total of 145 consultation letters were effect on equality? issued in connection with the review for Cardington Parish and 1,686 for Eastcotts Parish that included a freepost response reply card inviting comments on the draft recommendations. 16 letters were also sent to interested parties and other stakeholders for both Cardington and Eastcotts Parishes. Residents could also respond via an online response channel, and by email. The consultation achieved an overall response rate of approximately 24.84% for Cardington and 17.50% for Eastcotts. What does this evidence tell you 1. Consultation data about the different protected This analysis has not been carried out as there was no provision in the consultation to request that groups? information from consultees.

2. Electoral Registration Data Age Shortstown has a young age profile. Only 8.55% of the Parish are aged 65 years and over compared with 22.88% in Cotton End.

Nationality 11.07% of electors are of EU or Commonwealth nationality compared with 3.49% in Cotton End. Therefore by altering the number of Councillors for the Parish Wards this is an opportunity for the Council to reflect more proportionately the population of the area it represents.

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What further research or data None do you need to fill any gaps in your understanding of the potential or known effects of the activity?

General Equality Duty

Which parts of the general equality duty is the activity relevant to? Eliminate discrimination, Advance equality of opportunity Foster good relations harassment and victimisation Age Altering the number of Councillors in the Parish Wards is an opportunity for the Parish Council to better reflect the population of the area it represents and encourage participation in public life from younger Parishioners. Disability

Gender reassignment Pregnancy and maternity Race Altering the number of Councillors is an opportunity for the Parish Council to better reflect the population of the area it represents and encourage participation in public life from ethnic minority Parishioners. Religion or belief

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Sex

Sexual orientation

Marriage & civil partnership

Impact on equality groups

Based on the evidence presented what positive and negative impact will your activity have on equality? Positive Negative No Explanation impact impact impact Age The proposed changes mean that all residents of Eastcotts Parish who have a greater affiliation with the area to be transferred will have a greater say over its determination. By altering the number of parish council seats for the Parish Wards there is a greater opportunity for people from a range of ages to stand as a candidate at election and thus for the council to be more representative of the community. However, ensuring this as an outcome is outside of the scope of the review recommendation. Disability

Gender

reassignment Pregnancy and

maternity Race The proposed changes mean that all residents of Eastcotts Parish who have a greater affiliation with the area to be transferred will have a greater say over its determination. By altering the number of parish council seats for the Parish Wards there is a greater opportunity for those from ethnic minority groups to stand as a candidate at election and thus for the council to be more representative of the community. However, ensuring this as an outcome is outside of the scope of the review recommendation.

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Religion or belief

Sex

Sexual orientation

Marriage & civil

partnership Other relevant

groups

Commissioned services

What equality measures will be None included in Contracts to help meet the three aims of the general equality duty?

What steps will be taken None throughout the commissioning cycle to meet the different needs of protected equality groups?

Actions

What will be done? By who? By when? What will be the outcome?

Actions to lessen negative None impact Actions to increase positive None impact

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Actions to develop equality None evidence, information and data Actions to improve equality in None procurement / commissioning Other relevant actions None

Recommendation

No major change required The recommendations of the Community Governance Review of Cardington and

Eastcotts Parishes will have a neutral impact on equality. Adjustments required Justification to continue the activity Stop the activity

Summary of analysis

In preparing this report, due consideration has been given to the Borough Council’s statutory Equality Duty to eliminate unlawful discrimination, advance equality of opportunity and foster good relations, as set out in Section 149(1) of the Equality Act 2010.

A Community Governance Review seeks to secure community governance that reflects the identities and interests of the community in the area and is effective and convenient. The proposals to transfer the area of land referenced from one Parish to the other means that those who have a closer affiliation with that area have a greater say over its determination. Changes to the proportion of Councillors for the Parish Wards will provide greater electoral equality and representation for residents in those areas. Whilst this opportunity brings the potential for Eastcotts Parish to better reflect more proportionately the population of the area it represents, activities required to ensure this as an outcome are outside of the scope of this review. There is no negative impact identified resulting from this Review. The recommendations of the Community Governance Review of Cardington and Eastcotts Parishes will have a neutral impact on equality.

Monitoring and review

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Monitoring and review Review date Government guidance suggests that it is good practice to conduct a Community Governance Review every 10-15 years.

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